Consuming seafood and fish – but in reasonable quantities – during pregnancy would have very positive effects on children’s attention and memory abilities.
The health benefits of seafood have been known for decades. We know in particular that they are good for the heart and the brain. But scientists also believe that children exposed to seafood in the womb have better concentration. A new study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health Research studied the effects of seafood consumption in early pregnancy on the attention span of eight-year-olds. The study concluded that children of women who ate seafood early in pregnancy were better able to concentrate. However, these effects were seen only in women who ate a wide range of seafood and oily fish. Those who ate only canned fish did not benefit.
The researchers followed the diets of 1,600 pregnant women and studied the attention span of children at the age of eight. The mothers and children who made up the sample were part of the INMA Environment and Childhood project, a Spanish study on the effects of pollutants on fetal development. The results indicated that children of mothers who consumed a variety of seafood during the first trimester of pregnancy had longer attention spans than children of women who consumed seafood in late pregnancy or not during pregnancy. everything.
Seafood and brain development
“Seafood consumption during the first trimester of pregnancy had a greater effect on children’s attention span than seafood consumption later in pregnancy when certain neurodevelopmental processes have already been completed” , said Jordi Julvez, lead author of the study. If the study focused on the attention span, it is because it is the precursor of other mental faculties such as memory.
Although seafood is rich in nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids essential for brain development, its benefits extend far beyond the fetal stage. Studies have shown slower mental decline in people who usually eat seafood. Also, people who eat fish have been found to have more gray matter in the brain.
But be careful, if you are pregnant and have decided to eat more seafood based on this study, be careful not to overdo it. Previous studies have also shown a link between seafood consumption during pregnancy and the risk of childhood obesity and increased blood pressure. According to a Greek study, women who ate fish more than three times a week had children who were at risk of childhood obesity. This study was published in JAMA Pediatrics. The researchers attributed this phenomenon to water pollutants affecting the hormonal system of the unborn child.
Moderation is the key
Finding the right balance is therefore essential for women who wish to offer their children the benefits of seafood without any of the disadvantages. The solution is simple: consuming seafood three times a week or less is considered safe. However, beware of the mercury content of some fish. Dr Leda Chatzi, assistant professor of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Crete in Greece, warns women against eating predatory fish such as mackerel, swordfish and shark, among others.